In the 21st presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung has been elected. Held amid the unprecedented emergency martial law declaration since the 1987 democratization and the subsequent impeachment of the president, this second-ever snap election saw the public opt for a change of government after just three years.
As of 2:30 a.m. on June 4 (Korean time), Lee secured victory with 48.8% of the vote (approximately 16,012,300 votes), leading by about 2.18 million votes.
At the same time, runner-up Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party recorded 42.1% of the vote.

Earlier, at around 1:20 a.m., Lee delivered a de facto acceptance speech in Yeouido, stating, “The first mission you have entrusted to me is to overcome the insurrection.”
Kim, at around 1:30 a.m., held a press conference, saying, “I humbly accept the people’s choice,” conceding the result.

Lee, who narrowly lost the previous election by 0.73 percentage points, achieved a regime change after three years, largely due to strong public sentiment for holding former President Yoon and the former ruling People Power Party accountable.
Notably, the Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the April 2024 general election, seen as a mid-term evaluation of the administration, already weakened the government’s momentum. The emergency martial law declaration by former President Yoon on December 3, 2024, proved a decisive factor in alienating moderate voters.
The People Power Party heavily targeted Lee’s “judicial risks” to create cracks in his support, but it ultimately failed to overcome the wave of demand for regime accountability.

Amid chaos from extreme ideological clashes following Yoon’s impeachment and removal, the public’s desire for swift national stability likely bolstered Lee’s narrative as a “prepared president.” Analysts suggest his administrative experience as Seongnam mayor and Gyeonggi governor, combined with his 2022 presidential run and leadership of the Democratic Party during last year’s general election, were positive factors.
This election has dramatically reshaped the political landscape.
With the Democratic Party, now the ruling party, holding a majority of 171 seats, an extreme “ruling party dominance” situation has emerged.

It’s been 12 years since a ruling party began a term with a majority, last seen with President Park Geun-hye in February 2013 (when the Saenuri Party held 153 seats).
Adding the seats of allied parties—Cho Kuk Innovation Party, Reform Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party—plus two independents, including National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and Rep. Kim Jong-min, the number of ruling coalition-friendly lawmakers swells to 190 out of 300.
This marks the birth of a “superpower” ruling party, controlling both the executive and legislative branches.

Conversely, the conservative camp, including the People Power Party, which sought a comeback with the Yoon administration after being cornered by Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, now faces a dire crisis. Losing power after three years, coupled with internal rifts deepened by the martial law and impeachment saga, and a severe seat disadvantage as a minority opposition, paints a grim outlook for their political path.
Amid this shifting landscape, the “Lee Jae-myung government,” launching without a transition committee, is expected to pursue significant changes across politics, diplomacy, economy, society, and culture from the outset. Some speculate that, given Lee’s campaign pledge to “end the insurrection,” the early days may focus on robust investigations and penalties targeting the martial law and Yoon administration.

However, with public anxiety over a worsening economy underpinning the demand for regime change, others predict the new government will prioritize stabilizing the economy and governing steadily.
Given Lee’s self-description as a “centrist-conservative” leader and public fatigue with partisan conflict, some also foresee bold unity efforts, including reaching out to the opposition.
Yonhap News